17 January 2019 – San Francisco, CA: In 2017 “A single ship captivated millions of Canadians and captured Canada’s promise,” remarked Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, “amplifying the voices of youth and Indigenous peoples, and connecting Canadians and communities all across the country.” For one night only, that epic journey will come to San Francisco via a close partnership with the Consulate of Canada and San Francisco’s International Ocean Film Festival: The United States Premiere of the acclaimed Canadian documentary Canada C3: Coast to Coast to Coast. Produced by the Students on Ice Foundation,this inspiring and thought-provoking documentary follows the epic Canada C3 Expedition, retracing the 150-day icebreaker journey from Toronto to Victoria through the Northwest Passage in 2017. The film will screen at San Francisco’s Cowell Theatre (Fort Mason Center) on February 6 beginning with a reception at 6pm, following by the screening at 7:15pm. A panel discussion will follow. Tickets may be purchased online at www.intloceanfilmfest.org/events.

“Over the years, our friends and colleagues at the Consulate of Canada have been among our most steadfast supporters,” said Ana Blanco, Executive Director of the San Francisco based International Ocean Film Festival. “We are honored to once again partner with them to bring an important film about our shared maritime heritage to our audience.”

“Canada C3 became a voyage of reconciliation, a unique pan-Canadian scientific voyage, and a platform for art, music, story-telling, connecting, inspiring, healing, and awakening,” said Geoff Green, Founder & President of the Students on Ice Foundation and Canada C3 Expedition Leader. “Canada is a young country still learning about its past, navigating its present, and exploring its future.”

“Canada C3: Coast to Coast to Coast transports audiences on a sailing adventure exploring Canada’s coastline —the longest coastline in the world. From Lake Ontario, down the mighty St. Lawrence River to the Atlantic Ocean, through the Northwest Passage, and to the Pacific Coast. The expedition and its teams of Canadians, sailed over 25,000 kilometres, visiting communities, national parks, marine protected areas, and many other remote and extraordinary corners of Canada’s vast, beautiful and diverse country.”

Canada C3 – Coast to Coast to Coast delivers emotional, powerful and inspiring messages about the expeditions four key themes: science and the environment; truth and reconciliation, youth engagement; and diversity and inclusion, all key components in building a better Canada and a better world. Through these lenses, this historic journey served to better connect and deepen understanding amongst diverse Canadians as they shared their stories of community, place, and culture.

Since its launch in 2004, the San Francisco-based International Ocean Film Festival has attracted thousands of spectators of all ages from around the world, including film enthusiasts, sea athletes, educators, and environmental supporters. Since then, the Festival has presented over 50 films from 15 different countries and featured post-film Q&A sessions with visiting filmmakers, special panel discussions with content experts, and the Annual Free Student Education Program. It was the first event of its kind in North America, inspired by the well-established ocean festival in Toulon, France, which has continued to draw large audiences for more than 40 years.

The 16th Annual International Ocean Film Festival will take place March 7-10, 2019 at venues around San Francisco. The International Ocean Film Festival is a registered 501(c) 3 non-profit.

About the Students on Ice Foundation

Canada C3 was a Canada 150 Signature Project led by the Students on Ice (SOI) Foundation, an award-winning organization that has led more than 30 expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctic. Students on Ice is founded on the principle that we are driven by the personal connections that we make to the land and to one another and these connections foster a deeper understanding of and commitment to a healthy and sustainable future. Experiential education in the Polar Regions is SOI’s core program. Visit studentsonice.com and CanadaC3.ca to learn more.